Stafford was taken into police custody and charged earlier Monday morning in an investigation by city police detectives into the shooting of a 43-year-old Millcreek man, who showed up at UPMC Hamot with a gunshot wound to the abdomen shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday.

According to information in the criminal complaint filed against Stafford, the victim told police he made contact with an unknown female by responding to an ad through text messages, and he arranged to meet her in the 600 block of East 11th Street early Sunday morning. He said when he arrived on the block he texted the female and she escorted him into the bedroom of a residence, where he was approached by three unknown males who had guns, Erie police detectives Chris Clement and Michael Hertel wrote in the affidavit of probable cause.

The victim said one of the suspects went through his pockets and attempted to take his car keys, which he refused to give up. A struggle ensued and the victim was shot, and he fled the residence and drove himself to the hospital, according to the affidavit.

The victim, whose name was not released, underwent surgery and was in stable condition at UPMC Hamot on Sunday, investigators said Sunday.

Detectives said they interviewed Stafford late Sunday night. She said she talked about committing a robbery with three other males, and after meeting the victim she walked him into a bedroom while the other suspects hid in other rooms. The other suspects then entered the bedroom and robbed the victim, according to the affidavit.

The investigation into the shooting, and the search for the other unknown suspects, continued Monday.

Tim Hahn can be reached at 870-1731 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.